Penthouse Variations Heavy Duty Anal Lube lives up to its name. It lubricates and stands up to heavy-duty usage, which is good because it’s not cheap. Hovering around $14-18 per 4-ounce container, it’s more expensive than most anal lubes but worth the investment.

The container is classy and sexier than most anal lube packaging (I appreciated that the words “Anal Lube” were more subdued and less visible). You could easily mistake it for a small container of hair gel, which is nice when compared to those monster-sized tubs of anal lube that defy discreet placement anywhere but beneath your bed. At three inches in diameter and approximately 2-inches tall, the container is large enough to allow you to get a good dab of it quickly and easily once you unscrew the cap.

And a dab will do ‘ya!

This long-lasting, oil-based lube is dense and thick enough to stay put without that annoying dripping or running that other lubes are sometimes prone to, and yet, it’s not so dense that you can’t easily coat whatever it is that needs lubing up. This lube can be a good thing when you need some lasting slickness in and around water, like hot tubs and showers. Plus, this stuff is so good you won’t need a whole lot to take care of yourself, your toy, or your partner, which means that this 4-once container should last you a while.

A word of caution though: Penthouse Variations Heavy Duty Anal Lube is oil-based, which means that you shouldn’t use it with latex of any kind. Oil-based lubes break down the integrity of latex barriers and toys. Even when you can’t notice the deterioration, it’s happening. Use this lube with non-latex barriers and toys (polyurethane condoms and nitrile gloves, for example).

Because this lube is oil-based and thick, you’ll need to wash things up extra thoroughly when you’ve finished your business to make sure you get everything clean. This stuff really does like to stick around. As the packaging says, “It stays slick for the ride,” and this I found to be truth in advertising.

As for originality, well, there’s nothing new here. Just some damn decent lube in some tasteful packaging that’s a bit on the high end when you’re at the checkout line, but with the amounts I needed to get the job done, I estimate you’ll get about 50-70 uses out of a 4-ounce container, which makes the price worth the pleasure.